Joyce proved to be divisive figure
As for Barnaby's legacy, he did save the Coalition's bacon at the last election by increasing The National's vote
Opinion
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WELL old mate Barnaby Joyce has finally fell on his sword and The Nationals have elected a new leader and are once again "moving forward".
As for Barnaby's legacy, he did save the Coalition's bacon at the last election by increasing The National's vote.
The rot set in as soon as he got control of the water resources portfolio.
Amazingly, we started seeing allegations of large-scale water theft and wrongful use of Commonwealth funds.
Mr Joyce may have become popular with these big irrigators and his voting base in New England, but down in the southern regions of the Murray/Darling basin around towns like Bourke and Wilcannia where river flow is mostly nil, the water table is rising resulting in increasing salt inundation of prime agricultural land, old mate Mr Joyce is public enemy number one.
It is almost certain that Coalition MPs who held these southern NSW and Victorian seats were under extreme pressure to act and stop the blatant undermining of the Howard/Rudd government's vital Murray/Darling rescue scheme by the big northern irrigators.
Therefore, the deep divisions Mr Joyce caused and the enemies he made within The National Party are likely the real reasons there was such an unrelenting campaign to topple this divisive figure.
Having sexual relations with a female employee was really just a sideshow.
KEITH DUNCAN
Pimlico
Originally published as Joyce proved to be divisive figure
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